This week, in story-arcs

20 – 26 July 2026

PIB published 500 releases this week · we curated 38 into 38 arcs.
Editor's note — Aditya Tiwari Sir

Week 30 was Parliament in full flow and the nation at attention. The Monsoon Session filled the week with written-answer detail — one year of the new criminal codes (BNS/BNSS/BSA), 775 fast-track courts and eCourts Phase III, the National Cooperation Policy's first year — even as a Cabinet reshuffle sent Dharmendra Pradhan out and Pralhad Joshi to Education. On 26 July, the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas at Dras let Rajnath Singh recast Operation Sindoor as India's deterrent, while DRDO's 'Kusha' interceptor flew and the AEW&C MK-II programme advanced — a self-reliant-defence thread. Abroad, President Murmu made the first-ever Indian-President visits to Moldova and North Macedonia, India joined the WTO's fisheries-subsidies pact and faced its 8th Trade Policy Review, and Israel FTA talks reached a second round. The economy printed strength — five years of PLI (₹2.4 lakh crore invested), record services exports of $421 billion, near-total rail electrification and the BHAVYA chemical parks — as a US Section 301 forced-labour duty landed, softened to 10% in the lower tier. Technology delivered milestones (UPI past 55 crore users, the Bharat 6G Alliance at 90, Aditya-L1's solar science, India's first dengue vaccine), and welfare data sobered (e-Shram's 31.78 crore workers; 332 sanitation-worker deaths). And Sarnath became India's 45th World Heritage site. Aditya Tiwari Sir's tip: braid Op Sindoor, Kargil and the defence-tech tests into one 'self-reliant deterrence' line for GS3, and Sarnath plus the Europe tour into a 'civilisational soft power' line for GS2 — two spines that carry a crowded week.

⚖️ ⚖️ Polity & Governance

single-day, 25 July

Sarnath joins the UNESCO World Heritage List — India's 45th

The 'Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath', where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 48th World Heritage Committee session in Busan — India's 45th property.

Ministry of Culture · Open ↗
tracked across 3 days, 24–26 July

A Nilekani-led task force to make exams leak-proof

The Prime Minister announced a high-powered task force on examination reforms under Nandan Nilekani, capping a week in which he also flagged stricter Cabinet action on paper leaks — a systemic push on exam integrity.

Prime Minister's Office · Open ↗
tracked across 2 days, 22–25 July

One year of the new criminal codes

A stock-take marked one year of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Sakshya Adhiniyam — in force since 1 July 2024 — with states issuing rules, adopting digital tools and training tens of thousands of officers.

Ministry of Home Affairs · Open ↗
single-day, 25 July

Faster, digital courts: fast-track courts and eCourts Phase III

In a cluster of Monsoon-Session replies, the Law Ministry set out the machinery for speedier justice — 775 Fast Track Special Courts across 29 states/UTs, the ₹7,210-crore eCourts Phase III, and ₹2,010 crore in the 2026 Budget.

Ministry of Law and Justice · Open ↗
tracked across 2 days, 21–22 July

One year of the National Cooperation Policy

The Ministry of Cooperation reviewed the National Cooperation Policy 2025 — launched 24 July 2025 with six pillars, 16 objectives and 83 recommendations over a decade, aiming to bring 50 crore members into a revitalised cooperative movement.

Ministry of Cooperation · Open ↗
tracked across 6 days, 20–26 July

Parliament's Monsoon Session opens — and a Cabinet reshuffle

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began with the PM's appeal for productive debate on national priorities; days later a Cabinet change saw Dharmendra Pradhan resign and Pralhad Joshi take additional charge of Education.

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs · Open ↗

💹 💹 Economy & Finance

single-day, 21 July

Five years of PLI: ₹2.4 lakh crore invested, 14 lakh jobs

A stock-take of the Production Linked Incentive schemes across 14 sectors reported over ₹2.40 lakh crore of actual investment, more than 14.15 lakh jobs and ₹15.2 lakh crore of production or sales as of 31 March 2026.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗
single-day, 24 July

India's services exports hit a record $421 billion

India's services exports rose to a record USD 421.3 billion in FY2025-26, up nearly 9% and led by IT/computer and business services — cementing India as the world's seventh-largest services exporter.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗
single-day, 25 July

US puts a 10% forced-labour duty on Indian goods — in the lower tier

The US Trade Representative's final Section 301 measure imposes an additional 10% duty on Indian imports over forced-labour concerns — down from 12.5% proposed — placing India in the lower tier, with pharma, smartphones and metals exempt.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗
single-day, 21 July

The 11th Agriculture Census wraps its field work

The three-phase field work of the 11th Agriculture Census (reference year 2021-22) was completed — the once-in-five-years enumeration of India's operational holdings and area that underpins farm policy.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

India's rail network is now almost fully electric

India's Broad Gauge network is about 99.6% electrified — second only to Switzerland — after adding 48,072 route km between 2014 and 2026, sharply cutting diesel traction and the import bill.

Ministry of Railways · Open ↗
single-day, 24 July

₹3,030 crore for three dedicated chemical parks

The Cabinet approved the BHAVYA-Rasayan scheme for three dedicated chemical parks — a ₹3,030-crore outlay to FY2030-31 with plug-and-play infrastructure to cut India's import dependence in chemicals.

Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers · Open ↗

🔬 🔬 Science & Tech

single-day, 21 July

India clears its first dengue vaccine

India's drug regulator approved the country's first dengue vaccine — Takeda's Qdenga, a live, attenuated tetravalent vaccine for ages 4-60 — a milestone against a disease that surges every monsoon.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

Bharat 6G Alliance widens as India charts a spectrum roadmap

The Bharat 6G Alliance expanded to 90 members with seven working groups, and the government laid out a spectrum roadmap for 6G — positioning India to shape, not just adopt, the next mobile standard.

Ministry of Communications · Open ↗
single-day, 20 July

UPI crosses 55 crore users

UPI crossed 55.49 crore users in June 2026, having processed 24,162 crore transactions worth ₹314 lakh crore over FY2025-26 — roughly a fivefold rise in five years, cementing it as the spine of India's digital payments.

Ministry of Finance · Open ↗
single-day, 23 July

Aditya-L1's first solar harvest

A round-up of achievements from Aditya-L1 — India's first solar observatory at the Sun-Earth L1 point, launched in September 2023 — showcased results from its seven payloads led by the VELC coronagraph.

Ministry of Science & Technology · Open ↗
single-day, 26 July

A push to modernise how India regulates GM and gene-edited crops

An ICAR-backed roundtable called for science-based reforms to the rules governing genetically modified (GM) and genome-edited (GE) crops, arguing that a faster, balanced approval framework is key to food security and climate resilience.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare · Open ↗

🌿 🌿 Environment & Ecology

single-day, 21 July

India's renewables cross 288 GW

India's installed renewable-energy capacity reached 288.58 GW by 30 June 2026 — up from 76.38 GW in 2014 — led by solar and wind, keeping the country on track for its 500 GW non-fossil target.

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy · Open ↗
single-day, 23 July

The government stands by E20 petrol

The government reaffirmed the safety and performance of 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20), citing scientific validation by ARAI, SIAM, IIP and NITI Aayog, amid a public debate over mileage and engine compatibility.

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

Sharing the benefits: ₹6.67 crore to cotton states from Bt royalties

The National Biodiversity Authority released ₹6.67 crore to 11 cotton-growing states under the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism — money realised from Bt-cotton technology fees, in a rare working example of biodiversity benefit-sharing.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change · Open ↗
single-day, 24 July

Insuring the farm against a fickle monsoon

A primer set out how PMFBY and the weather-based scheme shield farmers from climate risk using an 'Area Approach' — Crop Cutting Experiments and technology (YES-TECH) for yields, with localised and post-harvest losses assessed individually.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare · Open ↗
tracked across 2 days, 25–26 July

'Catch the Rain, where it falls': district models take hold

As the monsoon arrived, districts from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh to Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh showcased the 'Catch the Rain' campaign — reviving tanks and building recharge infrastructure so rainwater feeds aquifers rather than running off.

Ministry of Jal Shakti · Open ↗

🌐 🌐 International Relations

tracked across 6 days, 20–25 July

A first: an Indian President visits Moldova and North Macedonia

President Droupadi Murmu made the first-ever visits by an Indian President to Moldova and North Macedonia, before a third leg in Romania — a three-nation tour deepening India's footprint in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ministry of External Affairs · Open ↗
single-day, 20 July

India joins the WTO's fisheries-subsidies pact

India deposited its instrument of acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, becoming a Party to the first WTO deal centred on sustainability — a pact that curbs subsidies driving illegal and overfishing.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗
single-day, 24 July

India and Israel take FTA talks to a second round

India and Israel concluded the second round of proposed free-trade-agreement negotiations in New Delhi, building on terms of reference signed in November 2025, with cooperation spanning defence, agriculture, water and technology.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

India and Panama chart a maritime partnership

India and Panama agreed to build a maritime partnership spanning security, logistics, shipping, skilling and digitalisation — deepening ties with a state that controls one of the world's most strategic shipping chokepoints.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways · Open ↗
single-day, 23 July

India faces the WTO's peer review

India concluded its 8th Trade Policy Review at the WTO in Geneva — the periodic, member-driven examination of a country's trade policies — with 68 members engaging on India's tariffs, digital rules and reforms.

Ministry of Commerce & Industry · Open ↗

🎯 🎯 Schemes & Welfare

single-day, 20 July

e-Shram's roll of India's informal workers crosses 31 crore

The e-Shram portal — the National Database of Unorganised Workers — crossed 31.78 crore registrations, extending a Universal Account Number-based identity and a gateway to welfare for India's vast informal workforce.

Ministry of Labour & Employment · Open ↗
single-day, 21 July

The grim toll of hazardous sewer cleaning

Data laid before Parliament recorded 332 sanitation-worker deaths from hazardous sewer and septic-tank cleaning across 18 states/UTs between January 2021 and June 2026, with 193 FIRs — the sobering backdrop to the NAMASTE mechanisation drive.

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment · Open ↗
single-day, 23 July

PM-SVANidhi's small loans, rising in tiers

A round-up of PM-SVANidhi — the 2020 scheme of collateral-free working-capital loans to urban street vendors — showed rising loan tiers and digital-transaction incentives bringing vendors into formal credit and the cashless economy.

Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs · Open ↗
single-day, 24 July

Poshan 2.0's six services, delivered through the Anganwadi

A primer set out how Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 deliver a package of six services through Anganwadi Centres — for children under six, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls — tracked in real time on the Poshan Tracker.

Ministry of Women & Child Development · Open ↗
single-day, 25 July

SVEP's grassroots start-ups, mostly from marginalised groups

The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme had supported 4.32 lakh rural enterprises by June 2026 — about 86% run by SC, ST, minority and OBC entrepreneurs — taking non-farm enterprise to the village through self-help groups.

Ministry of Rural Development · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

Fixing the food children eat

An ICMR-NIN-led consortium released 'Priority Policy Actions to Promote Healthier Diets and Food Environments for Children', pressing for curbs on ultra-processed food and healthier defaults as childhood obesity and diet-linked disease rise.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare · Open ↗

🛡️ 🛡️ Security & Defence

single-day, 23 July

DRDO's 'Kusha' long-range interceptor flies

The DRDO carried out a successful maiden flight-test of the 'Kusha' Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from Abdul Kalam Island, a step toward an indigenous, long-range air-and-missile-defence shield.

Ministry of Defence · Open ↗
single-day, 20 July

'Operation Vajra' stops 30 tonnes of Tramadol

The Central Bureau of Narcotics, under 'Operation Vajra', thwarted the diversion of around 12 crore high-strength Tramadol tablets — roughly 30 tonnes — from a Delhi-area warehouse, in a major synthetic-opioid seizure.

Ministry of Finance · Open ↗
single-day, 22 July

Eyes in the sky: the AEW&C MK-II programme moves ahead

The DRDO's CABS signed two contracts under the AEW&C MK-II programme — to convert six A321 aircraft into airborne early-warning platforms — deepening indigenous 'eyes in the sky' for the Air Force.

Ministry of Defence · Open ↗
tracked across 3 days, 24–26 July

At Dras, Operation Sindoor framed as India's deterrent

On the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas at Dras, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called Operation Sindoor proof that India can respond to Pakistan's every misadventure with overwhelming severity — and said any talks would be only about PoK.

Ministry of Defence · Open ↗
single-day, 21 July

Mapping — and fighting — India's cybercrime wave

Home Ministry data set out the scale of cybercrime and the response architecture built around it — the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the reporting portal and the 1930 helpline — as digital fraud climbs.

Ministry of Home Affairs · Open ↗
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